Many people love to buy and eat oats, but there are too many oat products on the market, such as oats that need to be cooked, instant oats, rolled oats, nutritious oat cereals, oat rice, oat noodles, and oat drink mixes. How should you choose these oat products?
Li Zaigui, a professor at the College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering at China Agricultural University and a scientist at the Functional Components and Deep Processing position of the National Oats and Buckwheat Industry Technology System, pointed out in an interview with the "Life Times" that consumers should pay attention to the following aspects when purchasing and consuming oat products:
1. Read the ingredient list to distinguish between pure and impure rolled oats. The nutritional value of oat products is directly related to their oat content. For example, 100% pure natural oats are better than instant products with other added ingredients. When purchasing, carefully read the product's ingredient list. The ingredient list for pure natural oat products will only contain "oats," while products with lower nutritional value will also contain ingredients like "non-dairy creamer," "white sugar," "maltodextrin," and "food additives."
2. Cook them whenever possible; cooked is better than prepared. The most highly valued health component in oats is beta-glucan, a soluble fiber known for lowering blood lipids and blood sugar, and providing a strong feeling of fullness. Beta-glucan in oats only becomes effective when it is dissolved. Therefore, it is recommended to cook oatmeal whenever possible. Even cooking it for just 3 minutes can significantly increase the dissolution of beta-glucan, whereas the dissolution of beta-glucan in directly prepared oatmeal is relatively limited.
3. The stickier the oatmeal, the better. During the cooking process, oatmeal becomes increasingly viscous. This viscosity comes from its health component—beta-glucan. Professor Li Zaigui pointed out that the beta-glucan content in oats is related to various factors such as its variety, processing technology, and preparation method. A higher beta-glucan content means greater viscosity, better health benefits, and a smoother texture. Additionally, Li Zaigui reminds consumers that many imported oats are actually less nutritious than domestic ones.